Natalie Dement remarks on the tenacity of ants after they make their way into her home.
I’ve been thinking a lot about ants lately, which is easy to do now that I have hundreds (maybe thousands?) of new ant housemates. Day One always starts with a single brave prospector, alone and traversing the vast expanse of some barren landscape, like a bedroom or hallway. By Day Two, there are other courageous volunteers investigating various corners and crevices of the house. And while I feel some pang of concern that they’re increasing in numbers, it’s usually quickly replaced with smugness – “Oh, you think you’ll find something in my bathroom sink? Well, good luck then!”
On Day Three however, despite all odds, they’ve inevitably found the kitchen, and I’m awestruck by the sheer resilience that brought them to this distant ant oasis. How far did they have to travel? How many disappointing dead-ends found along the way? How many lost to exhaustion, hunger, spiders or most likely the bottom of my pointer finger?
By Day Four, they’re marching resolutely towards – good God! – the trash can, and some cluster of ants is demonstrating that their selflessness knows no bounds, as they sacrifice their own bodies to form a bridge between the wall and the top of the bin. As I stare down at this organized chaos weaving in and out of trash remnants, I’m certain that no bug spray can stop this force of nature, nor can I stop my own admiration for it.
My husband tells me that they’re likely Argentine ants, (also known as the ants that you see just about everywhere in California, notorious for their invasive nature), but I think they’re little balls of pure, unwavering spirit. Living proof that a small group of committed citizens can truly change the world.